As a social media manager I see a lot of negativity online, especially in the environmental movement. Often we post only the bad news, which is of course a necessary first step to tackling a problem, but sometimes overwhelming. And it can result in so many comments that are simply humanity-hating, decrying our very species as a plague on the Earth. Such comments are so counter-productive as they imply we can not change or build a sustainable society, but are doomed by our “nature” to simply destroy and use-up.

So it’s a relief to find positive, forward-looking content on sustainability and the environment on social media, and there are two hashtags are out there that can help you find it.

The sharing economy and the circular economy: what’s the difference?
Stephanie Ferguson, The Idea Tree Consulting
January 28, 2016.

The sharing economy and the circular economy are two economic models we are increasingly hearing about, but what are they, and what is the difference? The circular economy and sharing economy are not synonyms, but they can be related.

The circular economy can be understood as the opposite to a linear economy. In a linear economy resources are extracted, manufactured into goods, distributed and sold, and when they reach the end of their useful lifespan, no longer work, or are no longer wanted, typically they turn into waste that goes to a landfill, or they are only partially recycled or downcycled. Continue reading →

Using Facebook’s New Multiple Thumbnail Feature for Pages
The Idea Tree Consulting
October 23, 2015

I have noticed some funny posts in my Facebook feed lately, and it’s the result of a new feature Facebook has added for pages with regards to changing photos when you’re posting a link.

When you draft a post using a link, Facebook used to have a small button that would allow you to upload another photo thumbnail to replace the one that was automatically generated in the URL scrape. Now however, it gives you multiple options, including a space to upload your own photo. It looks like this:

Global Overshoot Day this year was on August 13. Every year the Global Footprint Network calculates the date “when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.”[1] The Earth regenerates in the sense that it sequesters carbon, aquifers refill, new soil is created through decomposition, forests grow, fish populations increase, to name just a few examples. Soil also erodes, trees die, animals succumb to predators and disease, but when the Earth keeps the regeneration and degeneration aspects in balance, there is sustainability. When humans come in and utilize resources as well, we must allow enough regeneration to keep that sustainability going, but we are failing, at the moment, to do so. It’s as though we are spending more out of our chequing account than is going in, and on August 13th, that account became empty and we’ve had to switch over to savings. Anyone who manages their personal finances would probably agree that’s not the best long-term plan. The Global Overshoot Day concept draws the analogy that that’s exactly what we are doing ecologically. Continue reading →

The Power of a Narrative: Why #CecilTheLion is Trending
The Idea Tree Consulting
August 1, 2015

This past week social media has been full of outrage for the death of a lion named Cecil. Trophy hunting is an issue that normally stirs controversy, but this case in particular has had a noticeably larger reach due to at least two factors. Firstly, this animal had a name, and a history that was known, thanks to being part of an Oxford study. He was not just an anonymous lion indistinguishable from any number of his fellow big cats, he had a backstory. In being killed he was not just dead, he was a victim. Factor one is the power of personification. Giving wildlife, a location, or an environmental feature a name gives it an identity that we can recognize, relate to, and remember. It brings that thing into our world, our framework of understanding, allowing our sympathies to kick in. Other examples include Migaloo, the albino whale, or General Sherman, the giant sequoia tree, or the practice of giving names cut blocks in Tasmania that would otherwise only be assigned numbers. Continue reading →

Earth Hour is outdated, hurts more than it helps
The Idea Tree Consulting
March 28, 2015

Earth Hour claims it is a symbolic way to show you want to fight climate change. That symbol was most powerful in this events very early years (this year will herald the 9th annual observance of Earth Hour), but it’s an event whose time has passed and by now hurts the environmental movement more than it helps.

While some will embrace the opportunity to be part of a global event which is geared towards the climate, Earth Hour also inadvertently associates cut-backs, sitting in the dark, and putting up with discomfort with care for the environment. There is a big risk that this symbolism is above the heads of the average member of the public. Continue reading →

This is a great and surprisingly common question that I was asked this morning by one of my clients, so I thought I would post the answer for everyone to see. Most people don’t realize this but Facebook does filter what people see in their newsfeeds. It happens with both profiles and pages, but probably to a greater extent with pages.

Facebook has an algorithm known as “Edgerank” that decides what goes into people’s newsfeeds, and while they keep the exact criteria a secret, generally it’s based on how popular something is, how many likes/comments/shares (collectively known as engagement), how recently it’s been posted and how frequently any given user actually engages with you. Continue reading →

One of the most common questions from organizations (and businesses) is should I use a Facebook profile or a page? What difference does it make? The answer is that organizations should definitely be using a page, and here are some of the top reasons why.

1. It technically violates Facebook’s terms of service and you can be deleted for using a personal profile for anything other than an individual person and Facebook does shut down these kinds of profiles. The last thing you want to see when you try to access your organization’s Facebook account is this (and I’ve personally seen it happen to groups who stuck to a profile, it’s heartbreaking):

The Idea Tree helps secure 8.3 million Euro in funding for Sea Shepherd
The Idea Tree Consulting
January 27, 2015

On January 26th, 2015, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society received 8.3 million Euros ($11.7 million Canadian) from the postcode lotteries of Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom for its submitted dream project, Stop Illegal Fishing in the Southern Ocean. The funding will be used to buy a custom-built ship to patrol the Southern Ocean, presenting one of the best opportunities to shut down illegal fishing operations around Antarctica.

“We are now able to proceed with the purchase of our dream ship and lift our conservation efforts to protect the Southern Ocean from illegal exploitation to the next level. We are extremely grateful to the Dutch Postcode Lottery and the people of the Netherlands for this generous support,” declared Alex Cornelissen CEO of Sea Shepherd Global. Continue reading →

How often to post on Facebook?
Stephanie Ferguson, Social Media Specialist, The Idea Tree Consulting
January 23, 2014

For non-profits and NGOs, how often to post on Facebook is a common question. New Facebook users may be tempted to post as often as they can, and others might make the mistake of underutilizing their account. Both of these approaches are not optimal and don’t allow you to make the most of your social media efforts.

First let’s look at what the “optimal” level of posting is like based on studies that have asked this question. A look at 2,600 of the most liked Facebook pages and how many posts they posted per day showed that the best liked pages posted less than once per day, or 4-6 posts per week.[i] Continue reading →